"In terms of scalability, efficiency and the price/performance ratio, we are really satisfied with our new ETERNUS DX8700 system. Together with the new FalconStor NSS virtualisation solution, we now have access to a storage environment that is easy to manage and readily available"

The customer

A readily available storage environment is vital for an outsourcing service provider - but efficiency and scalability also play an important role. This is also true for Hamburg based INFO AG, a full service provider which offers medium-sized clients an extensive range of ITK services from one single source - from telephone, data transfer, housing and hosting to IT outsourcing and IT consulting. INFO AG belongs, in the most part, to QSC AG and runs data centres in Hamburg and Oberhausen. Amongst others, the Deutscher Ring Lebenversicherungs AG, the Deutsche Angestellten Krankenkasse (DAK) and Olympus Europa Holding GmbH form part of INFO AG’s client base that exceeds more than 130. With over 700 employees, INFO AG generates an annual turnover of more than 100 million euros.

The challenge

INFO AG runs a total of three data centres. Two are located in Hamburg and the third in Oberhausen. The old storage systems at these locations had become outdated and expandability had reached its limits. “We operate shared storage environments for around 40 customers,” explains Felix Rönnebeck, Head of Backup & Recovery Services at INFO AG. “To do this, we need effective storage systems that are easy to manage. Eventually, that was no longer possible. However, as part of our update, we didn’t just want a new hardware product but an actual solution.”

The solution

The storage system and storage virtualisation was supplied by Concat, a system house that operates nationwide. The company based in Hamburg focuses entirely on storage, which perfectly met the needs of INFO AG. Due to positive results with previous projects, Concat recommended the ETERNUS DX8700 enterprise storage systems from Fujitsu. In terms of scalability, performance and energy efficiency, this model sets entirely new standards. In addition, the storage virtualisation software FalconStor NSS dramatically reduces the administrative burden. “This solution perfectly meets our requirements,” states Felix Rönnebeck, “and it even comes with an attractive price tag.”